Title Under Construction
by xoxstacilynnxox
Summary: My first ever FanFiction! It is a little bit of GemmaKartik, unexpected encounters, lots of love and unappropriate behavior! Please Review!
1. My Mind Is Made Up

Chapter 1

As I stare out the open window into the magnificent lawn of my Grandmama's house, I can't help but think of Simon's garden, the luscious White Roses, my favorites, the beautiful Lilies and gorgeous Pansies. This leads me to remember Simon and how I turned him down without a bit of explanation. Did I make the wrong choice? Should I have stayed with him? Everything is so confusing and the confusion will not end until I embark on my journey back to the Castle of Grace, Charm, and Beauty that we call Spence, where I can speak to Kartik once again.

The wind blows gently at my silk curtains and forces my lose strands of hair away from my pale face. I hear a creek followed by a clearing of the throat come from my door and know who will be standing beside me in less than a few seconds…. Grandmama.

"Gemma, sweet-heart, is everything alright? You barely touched your breakfast and you haven't said a word to any of us all day, it is almost eleven o'clock." She asks me as she makes her way to my comfortable chair. I am still staring out the window; I can hear something rattling in a box cupped in her hands.

"I am quite fine thank you." I utter with annoyance ay her just barging into my room. "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." I half expect her to tell me that I should only be thinking of what I can do for England and the weather, and the other half hoping her to ask whats on my mind.

"Well, _I_ bought you a new necklace to wear. Yours is getting old and dirty, I mean look at it, and it's bent and damaging the look to you beautiful neck." She murmurs bringing the conversation back to her and plopping the small white box onto my lap. "I'm absolutely sure that you will love it!" Trying to get me enthusiastic, which it's not working.

"Umm..., thank you but I am rather fond of my _symbol, _as you call it. My mother gave it to be and I am not giving it up." I have decided never to take it off; it's the only way of me remembering my mother. All of the memories of my mother have seemed to be slipping away into the darkness that looms the back of my mind.

"Gemma it would make me very happy if you wore the necklace. Please?" She's trying to turn me into a stuck-up young lady that will always remember her place, think only of what I am to do for England, and get me married to rich man, if I love him or not.

"Grandmama, it wouldn't make _me_ happy!" I shout out forgetting my tone and throwing the small white box onto my dresser. I hear her sigh and I know I have hurt her badly. She turns to leave and does a quarter turn back around with a curious face.

"Well than, I have been informed that you have given up on Mr. Middleton, is that correct?" She says changing the subject.

Without turning I manage to say, "Yes I have."

"May I ask why? You two where a perfect match to say the least, Gemma would you like to explain?"

That's right, let's only be concerned when you can't seem to get rid of me, marry me off to that rich husband I've been thinking about, that's all you want.

'I do not love him', is what want to say, but instead I let her hear what she wants,

"I was confused about him, but now I'm second guessing my decision. He let me know that his mother likes me and that he is very fond of me himself. So I'm thinking about giving him another try"

"That's what we want to hear! Its good things turned out, because I have informed Mr. Middleton that you will give him another try. He is planning to call upon you at Spence the first week you go back." With that she kisses me on my head and makes her way out of my room almost bumping into Mrs. Jones, in all her excitement.

The nerve of her trying to take over my life! Calling Simon without talking to me first! How dare sh..., my thoughts are cut short from a knock at my door. Can people not leave me alone!?

"Gemma, my angel?" My Father say, more like a statement than a question.

I smile, "Yes, Father?" I make myself seem to be completely interested in the garden again. I can feel the color in my face begin to leave because of my anger dieing down. He walks in scooting my vanity chair next to me and sits down. He too is making seem that he is interested in the garden.

"I over heard the conversation with your Grandmama... do you really love Simon Middleton?" He asks and I know he is blushing from embarrassment. I am absolutely shocked and do not know what to answer him. So I tell him the truth.

"No Father I am in love with someone else..." Did I just say I was in love with someone else? Is that true? I realize that as I think Kartiks face is floating in my head and I start to smile uncontrollably. I turn to my Father and see that his mouth is open but he does not seem too surprised. "Father have I upset you?"

"No Angel. You haven't, I just didn't know that you were in love with someone else. I'm just wondering what young lad has stolen my daughter's heart. But if you do not want to share that with me I am fine with your decision. But I do have one question, why are you going to give Mr. Middleton anther chance if you do not love him?"

I ponder this for a moment and decide my answer, "Well... I'm not." I stammer out but give him the true answer. I am not going to give him another chance, one was enough. My Father smiles his large satisfied grin and kisses my cheek, stands up, returns my chair to the vanity, and walks to the door. He has improved much since I have come home, maybe he's over his drug obsession, I think to myself. Without turning around he laughs out his response...

"I'm sure you will make the right decision. I can tell that you are truly in love for how you could not stop smiling when you thought about it. That's how your mother acted when she thought about me..." Then he just steps out of the room like nothing happened. Mrs. Jones is half way down the stairs, sweeping, I can hear the rhythmic pattern on the floor followed by the low growl of my Fathers footsteps fading.

I stand for the first time in hours, listening to my knees pop, and begin to pack for it is Friday and I will be leaving for Spence in two days, were I will see Simon Middleton, hopefully one _last_ time.

----------

Two days pass quickly and my thoughts of what I will say to Simon are running through my head; 'I'm sorry my Grandmother called you but I don't love you' 'I agree we do look perfect together, but I'm not sure that I'm comfortable with this relationship Mr. Middleton, my dearest apologies' We will have to wait and see.

----------

Grandmother and Father usher Tom and I into the carriage kissing us both good-bye for I should be arriving at Spence in hours, we must be on our way. The carriage begins to move as I wave to my Father and Grandmother. Before we leave the grounds I hear my Father call out...

"Gemma don't forget what I told you. Please." I smile hoping he can see me as the horses begin there journey down the long and winding cobble stone road that I will not see for quite some time.


	2. Love and Friends Are Complicated

Chapter 2

It's Sunday and the carriage ride back to Spence is very exhausting and uncomfortable with Tom sitting next to me, he's thinking, I can always tell when he's thinking. He looks a little worried making different facial expression and not notice that I'm watching him. But at the same time he's talented enough to ignore me as if I'm a feather in the wind. As we pass that ally way to the bar Kartik once took me I'm filled with excitement and my lips can't help but grin, remembering _him _made me grin.

What's wrong with me? Why do I always have to feel for him? Am I in love?

No, nonsense, I can't be in love with an Indian. But surprisingly, I think I am. I can not wait to see his black swirling hair that's always in his face, those dark brown eyes I have grown to love and those lips I have yet to forget. I am hoeing to taste those lips again and not for the last time either.

As I walk into Spence for what seems like the hundredth time I'm greeted by Felicity and Ann. Ann pays me no mind and walks over to Tom shyly, most likely to ask his forgiveness for her telling everyone she has a great-uncle, a duke, who lives in Kent, and she is actually descended from Russian royalty. When she is really here on scholarship, because her aunt doesn't wants her and thinks all she's good for is to work for them as the housekeeper

Felicity meets me with an embrace and a smile like we haven't seen each other in years, "How have you been Gemma darling?"

"Fine, thank you. Which I'm surprised we just saw each other a few days ago, silly Fee." I reply trying not to make it obvious I'm not as hyped up to see her.

"I know but I missed you dearly." She says aloud, and then hugs me again only to whisper in my ear "I was stuck with Ann for days, what do you think? She drabbled on about Tom the whole time." I now understand she was just bored with Ann and needed a new playmate, me. I make a mental note to check Ann's wrists. My attention falls to Ann almost in tears, what has Tom done now?

"But Tom…" I hear Ann plead almost a whisper.

"I'm sorry Ann but there's nothing more for me to say but good-bye." He turns sharply on his heels and before he gets out the door Ann lets out one last cry…..

"But Tom, I love you!" Ann is on her knees and everyone is shocked at what she has said. But she has a look on her face that says that she means it more than she meant anything in her life.

Tom seemed to be waiting and hoping for her to say that; he turned around with a huge smile, picked Ann up off the floor by her waist, wrapped her around in his embrace and said,

"Ann I've been waiting for that since the day I saw you!" Gasps arise from there now packed audience. He breaks the embrace to pull out a piece of paper from his chest pocket and hands it to her,

"I will call on you this Wednesday, Miss Bradshaw, you will expect me here by noon. I will see you then" He kissed her hand, tipped his hat at the audience, and then he was off.

We all run and congratulate Ann who is surprised more than any of us. She just stands with her mouth agape and finally she says with a shy smile,

"The Perils of Ann has a nice ring to it." Then just as she came in, she left shyly as well.

After vespers we had our free time before bed and everyone wanted to talk to Ann. Even Cecily couldn't resist trying to ask about Ann's new friend. But we pulled her from her glory into Fee's scarf tent and had her re-cap about her conversation with _my_ brother.

"Do you really love him?" Fee asks trying to get as much gossip as possible so she can walk out with all the gossip and be the center of attention, like always.

"I do," Ann blurts, "I've never loved anyone more." I can see a blush coming up her neck creeping into her checks.

"How are you holding up about Simon?" Fee asks me, digging for more gossip. But in her eyes there's another reason she wants to know as if she's not going to spill my gossip but I can't distinguish it.

"My Grandmama has told Mr. Middleton that I am giving him another try, without my consent mind you. He will be calling for me sometime this week." I spit out annoyed

Fee and Ann gasp at he same time, Ann had done it to follow suit with Felicity but Fee meant it.

"Is there something I don't know Fee? I ask, trying to act innocent, which won't break whatever she has to say.

"No!" She responds too quickly to believe. But I act as if I don't care, for all the attention will be off Fee, which she will not be fond of. But I can't help but wonder what it is she knows about Simon. Does Fee have feelings for him? Even after she kept telling me that he wasn't for me… because **she** wants him. I can't help be jealous that she wants the guy who fancies me for once.

"Fee I feel a little ill could you excuse me?" I don't wait for her to answer me; I get up and make my way up to the winding stairs that make me feel a little woozy.

By the time I make it to my room I feel even worse, like all of the emotions inside of me are swirling in my stomach. I squat on my bed to find a note from Kartik and immediately my stomach turns to butterflies, I pick it up and read:

Gemma,

We need to talk

Kartik

My body turns too much when I read the erased love part, but it seems that it took him forever to make up his mind. Underneath you can see were he had erased different endings for the letter as if he was nervous. I lay down knowing that when school is over tomorrow I will be out in the forest speaking to Kartik and I am prepared to tell him how I feel.

The only thing I can think of before I drift off is that Fee can have Simon, If only I can have Kartik. Only if he loves me back.


End file.
